Fence Line Weaning

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Adam Freeman

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Bennington Kansas
Looking for help or suggestions. First time weaning my calves. Have 14 total that we are trying this fence line weaning on. Caught them all up in the corral on the 27th and sorted off the mommas. They mommas have hay and feed bunks right outside the corral where i have been feeding the last few weeks prior as well as mineral all summer so they are used to it. Held the calves in the corral for 2 days then let them out into our small 5 acre pasture where they have access to prairie hay and oat hay as well as feed bunks for cubes and water. those first 2 days in the corral they bawled some but not much ( mommas bawled more) after that they were fine and no bawling. they eat and are doing well not trying to get back through the fence to the rest of the herd. took about 5 days before the mommas would wander very far from the hay rings or the fence line other than to go down to the pond and get water, Now they are usually out grazing when we come check on them. As soon as they hear the truck they come up to the fence line but other than that both groups seem to be doing well.

Question is am I doing this right or should there be something else I should be doing. They all had there vaccinations end of sept and I am weaning for 45 days for the first Vacc sale in January. There is another in Feb if the market looks like it might improve more as well.

I also forgot to mention besides they hay and water they have a 250 pound 40% protein tub to work on as well as I give them a 50 pound bag of 20% range cubes every so often. I had the Oat hay tested at 15% protein as well but not sure what the prarie hay is tested at. it is this years and came from a very good clean field. I did not get a weight on the calves before we weaned them but a scale is one the list if I can make it through the first few years. Hoping this all works out just worried and nervous about selling my first batch of calves to pay uncle sam and the bank.
 
Sounds like you are doing it all correctly. "If you take care of your livestock they will take care of you". They should pay the bills.
Make sure you get a second round of vaccines in them before the sale, and have your vet send paper work verifying what has been done.
 
Sounds like you are doing it all correctly. "If you take care of your livestock they will take care of you". They should pay the bills.
Make sure you get a second round of vaccines in them before the sale, and have your vet send paper work verifying what has been done.
They had shots in the spring as well. Also all were cut with knife as that seems to be the preferred method of castration.
 
Sounds like you did the weaning just fine.

Honestly, when we wean (just did it 2 weeks ago) most of the bellowing occurs when I come out to check on things. I can hear them before they know I'm there and it is generally normal and quiet. They only start mooing when they see me and decide to protest -- haha.
 
They had shots in the spring as well. Also all were cut with knife as that seems to be the preferred method of castration.
Same vaccines in the spring as in September? Guys that buy feeder cattle will want to see that they have been vaccinated twice with a respiratory vaccine ( BVD 1&2, IBR, BRSV, PI3) and a Pasteurella.
 
The vaccines - did you use MLV or Killed? Killed needs to be boostered within about 30 days (read label, each can be different). MLV do not need to be boostered. If you used MLV, you are in great shape. If you used Killed, you wasted your money. It won't help them at all.
Sounds like you did perfect on the weaning. Only thing I do different is I don't provide feed for the cows close by. They "can" visit their calves all they want, but they have to leave to eat. Main thing is you kept your calves very happy, so less stress. They stay healthier if stressed less. Good job.
Is the Range cubes consistently in front of them? Not good for them to pig out one day and not have any the next.
 
sound like you have everything under control and doing a great job on your first weaning adventure. you did not mention anything about implanting your calves. Around here, our vets like to push implanting the calves because they claim that the extra weight well covers the cost of implants. The sale barn on the other hand claims that buyers prefer non implanted calves since most have their our preference on implanting after they purchase feeders. I can't say which one is right, but you may want to find out which works best in your area.
 
Implants are the easiest money made on the farm. I have yet to see a sale barn cattle buyer stop the sale to ask if a calf has been implanted or not. Even on big group sales some sellers are quick to mention that they haven't been implanted and are all natural but the majority go through with no mention one way or the other.
I really don't think it matters much to buyers either way which is why I never mention it. For me its an extra $20 per calf for a $1.50 implant and one minute of labor.
 
The vaccines - did you use MLV or Killed? Killed needs to be boostered within about 30 days (read label, each can be different). MLV do not need to be boostered. If you used MLV, you are in great shape. If you used Killed, you wasted your money. It won't help them at all.
Sounds like you did perfect on the weaning. Only thing I do different is I don't provide feed for the cows close by. They "can" visit their calves all they want, but they have to leave to eat. Main thing is you kept your calves very happy, so less stress. They stay healthier if stressed less. Good job.
Is the Range cubes consistently in front of them? Not good for them to pig out one day and not have any the next.
I looked at my paperwork and the calves were given.

Covexin 8
Poly-Bac B 3R
Super 7way
Ralgro
Inforce 3
Bovi-shield Gold BVD
Penicillin G
 
Most important thing about weaning is to separate working the calves and removing from momma. Those are the two biggest stressors in a calf's life. Work the calves (castrate, dehorn, worm, first round of shots) 3-4 weeks before weaning. Turn them back to momma. On weaning day, sort the calves back into a pasture they are familiar with, ideally with some decent forage. Work the cows (preg, shots, worm). Turn them back to a pasture adjoining the calves. Ideally, the fence dividing the two should have an offset hot wire on each side. A week later, bring the calves up for a booster round of vaccines. If you do this, you're weaning problems will go away.
 
I looked at my paperwork and the calves were given.

Covexin 8
Poly-Bac B 3R
Super 7way
Ralgro
Inforce 3
Bovi-shield Gold BVD
Penicillin G

Good lord. The only thing missing was a Covid vaccine. I wonder why the Pen was given?
 
Covexin 8
Poly-Bac B 3R
Super 7way
Ralgro
Inforce 3
Bovi-shield Gold BVD
Penicillin G

I am not trying to bad mouth your vet - but did he give these shots all at one time? Covexin 8 is a clostridium and Super 7?? don't know what that is but most "7's" are a clostridium also. Both are usually a killed vaccine - Covexin needs to be boostered in 6 weeks. Most 7's need to be boostered.
Inforce 3 is a GREAT product for calves - it is a MLV does not need booster, and BS BVD goes well with it to provide the BVD protection - but it also needs to be boostered. If a vaccine is not properly boostered in the time frame needed - you might as well pour it on the ground. It did ZERO to help the health of your calf. A killed vaccine first "primes" the body and sets it up, the 2nd shot is what kicks in the antibodies for the resistance to the bug.
No Pen should be given "randomly" - maybe you had active Pinkeye at the time??
If he gave these shots in two different visits - he should have used the same "brand" to booster the first shot. So, this is very confusing.
Just so you know, you can buy these products from Valley Vet or many other suppliers and give the shots yourself. Or you can buy the products from your own vet ( a little more money, but sometimes worth it for his/her advice).
Did he/she give the shots in the neck and explain to you "where" to give them?
 
Covexin 8
Poly-Bac B 3R
Super 7way
Ralgro
Inforce 3
Bovi-shield Gold BVD
Penicillin G

I am not trying to bad mouth your vet - but did he give these shots all at one time? Covexin 8 is a clostridium and Super 7?? don't know what that is but most "7's" are a clostridium also. Both are usually a killed vaccine - Covexin needs to be boostered in 6 weeks. Most 7's need to be boostered.
Inforce 3 is a GREAT product for calves - it is a MLV does not need booster, and BS BVD goes well with it to provide the BVD protection - but it also needs to be boostered. If a vaccine is not properly boostered in the time frame needed - you might as well pour it on the ground. It did ZERO to help the health of your calf. A killed vaccine first "primes" the body and sets it up, the 2nd shot is what kicks in the antibodies for the resistance to the bug.
No Pen should be given "randomly" - maybe you had active Pinkeye at the time??
If he gave these shots in two different visits - he should have used the same "brand" to booster the first shot. So, this is very confusing.
Just so you know, you can buy these products from Valley Vet or many other suppliers and give the shots yourself. Or you can buy the products from your own vet ( a little more money, but sometimes worth it for his/her advice).
Did he/she give the shots in the neck and explain to you "where" to give them?
Not real sure on what was given to the calves and what was given to the cows. We did 23 cows and 16 calves that day I was just going off the receipt that they sent me with the bill. I know we ran the cows through first and did them then ran the calves through. He had to change up shots in between the groups. If i could figure out how to do pics I could maybe have one of you decipher this. We were dealing with active pink eye at the time so I am assuming that is what the penicillin was for. He was showing me where to put the injections in the neck and how to do the implants as well he works fast but shows what he is doing as well as answers questions. HE also talked to us about doing it ourselves and eventually we want to get to that but right now this was our first year and want to make sure we are not screwing it up.
 

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So, yes, he gave Covexin 8 to the 16 calves in September. If that was the only time he came out & gave shots, he wasted time & money if not boostered in 6 weeks. (I know - lots to learn!! LOL)

This is what the label reads for:
Covexin 8
"7-way blackleg including red water, plus tetanus protection for cattle and sheep. For prevention of Clostridium chauvoei, septicum, novyi, perfringens Types C & D, haemolyticum (bacillary hemoglobinuria/red water) and tetani. Give cattle 5 ml IM or SQ. Repeat in 6 weeks and once annually. Calves vaccinated before 3 months of age should be revaccinated at weaning or 4-6 months of age.

Super Poly-Bac B 3R - "Pasteurella, salmonella and somnus protection for cattle. For prevention of Mannheimia haemolytica types A1 and A6, Pasteurella multocida type A3, Salmonella typhimurium and Haemophilus somnus. Give 2 ml SQ in the neck. Repeat in 14 days on the opposite side of the neck.

Super 7
is also a killed vaccine but it is for pinkeye - still should be boostered - I couldn't find that specific brand.

As a producer, we need to learn about the meds because some vets do not know all the requirements of the vaccines. You mentioned you are selling them in a Vacc Sale - just to be on the safe side - find out if this set of shots will qualify. Hard for me to believe they will accept them, but maybe.

this place is a great source for you. Many of us have strong vaccination programs, some have moderate, and some have none. You have to figure out what your needs are. I show cattle and sell breeding stock. My cattle have to be top notch in the health department.
 

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